Showing 385-480 of 569 items found in Arts & Culture

A professional photographer takes visitors to a landmark Chicago destination while giving tips on composition, lighting and exposure. These sessions are for photographers of any skill level with any kind of camera, digital or film.

Located in the center of the Magnificent Mile, and steps from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, The Wrigley Building has been a hallmark of Chicago’s skyline since 1920. Designed as the headquarters for the successful chewing gum, the building was modeled after the Seville Cathedral’s Giralda Tower in Spain. Today, it is still home to Wm Wrigley Jr. Company, and is perhaps best known for its dazzling white towers that illuminate the city at night.

We are a vintage and antique Button Museum. Our button displays rotate on a monthly basis based upon the current theme. Visitors will be given an opportunity to view beautiful buttons on display and learn more about two incredible women who saved and preserved everything (beautiful objects and historical artifacts). The museum will host a variety of small clubs, exhibitions, workshops, and events.

Big Shot is an upscale Restaurant & Piano Bar. A cozy place to meet, eat, and drink while listening and interacting with talented musicians. From the warm atmosphere to the variety of enticing menu items, this intimate spot will showcase live talent every night. The extremely friendly restaurant will invite its patrons to participate and sing along with new songs performed by talented professionals. This will definitely be a place to start and end an evening.

The busy life of a successful power couple (she’s an image-conscious business woman and he’s a divorce attorney) is turned upside down when they find out they are unexpectedly pregnant and the next nine months turn into an emotional roller coaster ride they never saw coming.

The Black Ensemble Theater is a dynamic organization described as a local cornerstone, a national treasure and an international success. It has launched over 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists since its inception. Annually 50,000 patrons experience its musical theater and it has become one of the most prominant African-American theater companies in the nation.

The Old Town School of Folk Music provides a wide range of music, dance, theater, and visual arts courses to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Whatever one's interest, the Old Town School provides broad access to more than 700 accredited class offerings, private lessons, and workshops that span an array of artistic genres.The school features a main stage where concerts are held year round, along with a great shop that sells music and instruments.

Built in 1926, this historic ballroom quickly became Chicago's premier place for world-renowned live entertainment. Its unique architecture, design and ambiance have made it a multiuse facility that often hosts live concerts.

The largest indoor convention exhibit area in the country is 2.2 million square feet, with 8 levels of exhibit halls, restaurants, meeting rooms and audiovisual theaters that provide all the necessary amenities for a successful trade show or convention. McCormick Place is designed by Gene Summers, who worked for Mies van der Rohe. It is derivative of a long-span convention center proposed by Mies van der Rohe. When the earlier version of McCormick was destroyed by fire, the firm C.F. Murphy was retained for the job and hired Summers specifically to design the new structure.

Take a walk through Riverside's history by spending the afternoon with the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, your guide to learning more about the village's unique community and landscape design. Riverside was designed in 1869 by famous landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

Designed by Louis Sullivan with assistance from his junior draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Charnley-Persky House is recognized as a pivotal work of modern American architecture. Docent-led tours of the exterior and interior of the Charnley-Persky House (1891-1892) are offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the year. The National Historic Landmark building serves as the headquarters of the Society of Architectural Historians. Photos by David Schalliol.

Experience the grandeur of world-class artists and Broadway theatricals in the beautifully restored Genesee Theatre. After undergoing a $23 million renovation, The Genesee Theatre is now home to world-class performances including Broadway shows, musical acts, comedians and more. In addition to the shows, this venue is a historic hot-spot for weddings, corporate functions, holiday parties, and a variety of special events. There are also a number of completely renovated auxiliary rooms connected to the main auditorium that are perfect for receptions, birthdays, high school reunions, corporate dinners, cocktail parties, or any other festive gathering, meeting, or presentation. Visit the website for a list of upcoming shows.

James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County

Presents the finest entertainers in the industry. Bold expressions of music, theatre, dance and variety acts. Featuring professional touring concerts as well as college music, theatre and dance presentations.

As an official Navy Museum, the Great Lakes Naval Museum's mission is to tell the story of the United States Navy, with particular emphasis on the Navy's only "boot camp" at the Naval Station Great Lakes.

One of the nation’s largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan. The MCA aspires to engage a broad and diverse audience, create a sense of community and be a place for contemplation, stimulation, and discussion about contemporary art and culture.

Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is a renowned educational institution rich in history and architecture. More than 150 historically significant and interesting sites on campus are featured in various 30-minute walking tours.

The busy life of a successful power couple (she’s an image-conscious business woman and he’s a divorce attorney) is turned upside down when they find out they are unexpectedly pregnant and the next nine months turn into an emotional roller coaster ride they never saw coming.

Discover the gay-friendly shops and restaurants of Andersonville, then head to Edgewater to see Art Deco and Tudor Revival architecture in the Bryn Mawr Historic District. Tours depart from the Chicago Cultural Center.

Built in 1917 for A. Watson Armour, Elawa Farm is a stunning example of estate farm architecture. Come and learn about Historic Elawa Farm and what it looked like way back when and what is happening today at the farm. This farm is a 16-acre parcel of land, including the original farm complex buildings that were part of an early 20th century gentleman's farm and has a unique combination of natural setting, designed landscapes and buildings of architectural and historic significance.

Let Noble Horse make your day or evening special. See the city from a lovely antique horse carriage ride. Noble Horse Carriages are available at 2 locations: Michigan Avenue: 820 N. Michigan Avenue, the corner of Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue and Old Town: 1410 N. Orleans Street, the corner of Schiller and Orleans.

See the evolution of architecture, from early Victorian to Art Deco, on this self-guided tour. Combination tickets include admission to Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple, Ernest Hemingway's Birthplace and Museum, and Pleasant Home.

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, this 264,000 sq. foot building provides a new home for the museum’s renowned collections of modern painting and sculpture, contemporary art, architecture and design, and photography. Be among the first to see this dramatic addition that makes the Art Institute of Chicago the second largest art museum in the United States.

This powerful, 31-story tower was designed by Jacques Brownson (b. 1923) of C. F. Murphy Associates. Composed of three massive structural bays, each an unprecedented 87-feet wide and nearly 48-feet deep, and supported by warren trusses at every floor, the building achieves incredible structural integrity and interior flexibility. The exterior wall plane consists of 12-foot-high windows with amber-tinted glass and 6-foot-high panels of self-weathering Cor-Ten steel, which has aged to a rich brown color. The large public plaza features a 50-foot-tall Cor-Ten sculpture of 1967 by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), gifted by him to the city of Chicago. The Daley Center plaza is one in a line of three important public plazas in the heart of the Loop (see also the Federal Center and Chase Bank Plaza). Photo courtesy of AIA Chicago, Wes Urschel. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 Great Places in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com

Named for the late improvising guru Martin de Maat, this 49-seat theater is dedicated to presenting productions that are rooted in the crafts of theatrical improvisation and sketch comedy as taught by The Second City Training Center.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the world’s great opera companies. It is renowned internationally for its artistic excellence and financial strength. Founded in 1954, since its earliest years Lyric has distinguished itself by presenting the finest international singers, directors, and designers in classic and less-familiar operatic repertoire and in world-premiere productions. Opera performances are from September through March.

See the "The Best of Broadway" at the Marriott Theatre featuring 5 great musicals every year. The intimate arena theatre is designed so everyone has the best seat in the house. The theatre earns lavish praise from critics, receiving a record 370 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations - Chicago's highest theatrical honor for artistic achievement. Marriott's Theatre for Young Audiences presents numerous original works as well as classic fairy tales. Through these works, children experience the joy and magic that is "live" theatre.

Offers sightseeing tours in more than 150 destinations on six continents and is widely recognized as the world's leader in sightseeing tours, ground transportation, charter service, airport transfers, and convention services.

The opulent Cuneo Museum and Gardens, located on 75 acres and dotted with formal gardens and statuary was the perfect setting for the wedding scenes in "My Best Friend's Wedding." The gazebo where the best friends were caught kissing was built specifically for the film, but Cuneo's owners liked it so much they decided to keep it permanently. Take a guided tour through the historic Mediterranean-style Cuneo mansion to see Renaissance artworks and lavish European furnishings.

This romantic comedy is all about looking for love and trying to find the answer to the age-old question of whether men and women can really be just friends. The opening scene in which Harry and Sally meet right after graduating from college was filmed at the English Gothic-style University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park, which was co-founded in 1890 by oil magnate John D. Rockefeller.

This landmark structure in suburban Oak Park served as Wright's private residence and studio from 1889 to 1909—the first 20 years of his career. Wright used his home as an architectural laboratory, trying out design concepts before sharing them with clients. With 25 Wright-designed buildings in the neighborhood surrounding the Home & Studio, Oak Park is an outdoor museum of architecture.

Donny’s Skybox Theatre and the de Maat Studio Theatre are dedicated to presenting productions that are rooted in the crafts of theatrical improvisation and sketch comedy as taught by The Second City Training Center. Alumni, faculty, students, and other members of the extended Second City family unite to develop new voices and points-of-view in a manner that honors the history of the work and seeks to propel it into the future. Donny’s Skybox is a studio environment where both emerging and established artists are encouraged to experiment, innovate, and grow.

DuPage County, Chicago’s Western Suburbs - This prize-winning museum features changing interpretive exhibits on Elmhurst history as well as national touring exhibits. Programs for children, families and adults throughout the year. The Elmhurst Historical Museum is located in a historically significant structure known as the Glos Mansion, which is the former home of Elmhurst's first village president, Henry L. Glos, and his wife, Lucy.

The Goodman Theatre is Chicago’s oldest and largest not-for-profit theater, winning international renown for the quality of productions, the depth and diversity of artistic leadership, and the excellence of its many community and educational programs.

Located in the famed Biograph Theater, one of Chicago's most celebrated historic landmarks, Victory Gardens Theater was the recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Victory Gardens is dedicated to presenting the work of great contemporary playwrights.

Since 1995, The Actors Gymnasium has been guided by the vision of a revitalized American theatre: one with performances as thrilling as a rock concert, and as mesmerizing as the circus. To that end, we have dedicated ourselves to the education and development of multi-skilled, physical-theatre artists.

UP Comedy Club presents an eclectic mix of comedy seven days a week featuring the best in Chicago stand-up, sketch and improv comedy. The club also features a full service kitchen and bar with a no drink minimum.

In this fast-paced action thriller, a secret government agent is wrongly accused of the death of his espionage team and must find the real spy killer on his own. In the movie, the head of the Impossible Missions Force stays at Chicago's historic Drake Hotel, located at the northern tip of the Magnificent Mile.

360 Chicago's (formerly John Hancock Observatory) epic new attraction that will forever change the way visitors see Chicago. TILT debuts in the spring of 2014, providing the ultimate window to the Windy City. A one-of-a-kind experience, TILT is an enclosed, glass and steel moveable platform that holds up to eight visitors per cycle. Once safely situated inside, the platform slowly tilts outward to an adventurous angle, generating downward-facing views of Chicago – from one thousand feet above The Magnificent Mile®. TILT gives thrill-seekers an exciting and safe way to take in unsurpassable views of the city, from a never-before-seen angle. Check website for opening dates and hours.

Celebrating 50 years as the home of Chicago-style improv and sketch comedy, The Second City has launched the careers of John Belushi, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and many others. Free improvisation after last show every day except Friday. Dinner/show packages available. Call or log on for specific show information.

ComedySportz is the longest running short-form improv show in Chicago. Now in our 25th year! It's not stand-up comedy about sports...it's improv comedy played as a sport! We're also known for corporate training and corporate entertainment, improv classes and as a great place for any group celebrating a special occasion. If you like great comedy improvisation, visit our theater, the ComedySportz Theatre.

With year-round programming across three stages, Steppenwolf is a Tony Award-winning Chicago theater known for innovative, artist-driven theatrical productions. Founded by Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney and Gary Sinise in the mid-1970s, the organization evolved from performing in a Highland Park church basement to gaining recognition as the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Steppenwolf is where great acting meets big ideas.

Adler Planetarium will reveal Deep Space Adventure, a new, immersive space experience like no other in the world. Visitors will come aboard the observation deck of a futuristic starship for an adventure through deep space.The centerpiece of the experience is the Grainger Sky Theater (formerly the historic Sky Theater), which will open as the most technologically advanced theater ever developed.

Experience history and culture through educated commentary and multimedia on iPads while exploring stories and places even locals don't know about. Highly trained guides share forgotten stories from the past on regularly scheduled tours.

pH is a comedy theater in Chicago that has been putting on original comedic work since 2002. pH shows are a fully participatory experience and you will leave most every show having had a hand in its outcome. pH also strives to be an affordable alternative for your entertainment dollar, with most shows falling around $10 per ticket.

In this romantic comedy a food critic jealously tries to put a stop to her best buddy's wedding. The movie filmed extensively around Chicago, including the historic Drake Hotel on North Michigan Avenue; on a Mercury boat cruise as it sailed down the Chicago River; and at the suburban Cuneo Museum & Gardens, a Mediterranean-style mansion that features 75 acres of beautiful formal gardens. The gazebo featured in one of the wedding scenes was built for the film, but Cuneo's owners decided to keep it permanently.

The World famous Improv Comedy Showcase and Restaurant will give you the ultimate comedy experience. We are the premiere destination for the country's top headliners and the best showcase for new talent.

The Odeum Sports and Expo Center, located in Chicago's western suburbs, is DuPage County's largest sports and special events facility. This 130,000 sq. ft. complex includes 3 diversified areas totaling over 85,000 sq. ft. of clear-span exhibition space.

Two young strangers are thrown together by a phone call from a mysterious woman who pushes them into increasingly dangerous situations as she tracks their every move and controls them via technology while they are pursued by the FBI.

FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island is an outdoor concert hall in Chicago. It is located on Northerly Island on the grounds of the former Meigs Field general aviation airport. Construction started in 2005. The venue seats 7,500 people and hosts many different musical artists and shows.

Unity Temple, Frank Lloyd Wright's modern masterpiece, celebrated the centennial of its dedication in 2009. Unity Temple is an icon of modern architecture and a destination for tens of thousands of visitors each year, and is famous for its brilliant use of light and space. One of the most complex and exciting buildings in 20th century architecture, it was Wright's first public commission and is the only surviving public building from his golden Prairie period. Available for your extraordinary special event.

A new 11,000 seat arena located in Hoffman Estates featuring world-class entertainment including concerts, family shows, and sporting events. Home of the Chicago Slaughter Indoor Football (IFL) and Chicago KICK Indoor Soccer (MISL).

This huge club features two dance floors, four bars, several spacious lounges, drag queen hosts and music spun by live DJs. Regular live events include singers (complete with go-go boy dancers) and special theme nights.

In this wacky comedy a Chicago family takes a hysterical road trip across country to reach a theme park on the West Coast. Illinois scenes include Buckingham Fountain in downtown Chicago's Grant Park (seen spouting its famous cascades of water in the background as the family leaves Chicago) and the Poplar Street Bridge that spans the Mississippi River in East St. Louis (where the family gets lost).

The Apollo Theater in Chicago is a lush venue with a prestigious reputation located in the fashionable Lincoln Park Theatre District. Its repertiore includes a fresh blend of comedies, musicals and special events.

The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago presents Science Storms, an unprecedented and dramatic permanent exhibit in the Allstate Court that reveals the extraordinary science behind some of nature’s most powerful and compelling phenomena—tornadoes, lightning, fire, tsunamis, sunlight, avalanches and atoms in motion. Inside the 24,000-square-foot exhibit, you’ll investigate the basic scientific principles responsible for nature’s biggest wonders while you get a hands-on, up-close look at these wonders themselves. Science Storms puts you in the middle of the action and lets you search for answers as to how and why things happen in nature.

Overlooking park land, the Community Room, equipped with a stage and kitchen, can serve 260 dinner guests or 400 people theater seating. Smaller meeting rooms with a capacity of 10-140 people including a gymnasium rental are also available.